griffinx5

Sunday, October 13, 2013

SIXTEEN!

Grant turned SIXTEEN yesterday! Wow…where has the time gone? It does not seem like that long ago that he started kindergarten.

He will get his drivers license on Tuesday! The poor middle child, not the first to do anything, not the “baby” but stuck in between. He did not get a vehicle for his birthday. We did look but he and Preston do almost exactly the same thing right now and can easily share for a few months. There are so many variables right now with Dennis’s job, where Preston will be next fall etc. that we decided to wait a bit and see if we get some answers soon. He did get his own gun.

and his birthday licks!

He never wants a party so we did our usual, dinner at McLins (a local restaurant with great steaks, seafood and gizzards!) Grant loves the gizzards and getting our “own” room when we eat there.

My parents, Dennis’s mom, Corbin, Caleb, Jordin and Reagan went with us. Later Nicki, Kenny, Lauren and Autumn joined us for birthday pies and candy! Grant is not a huge fan of sweets but loves Buttermilk Pie and sour candies so….I made 2 Buttermilk pies, 2 strawberry pies, strawberry jello and had bowls full of sour candies!

I am making sure we document this because Grant swears we did not go out to dinner or do anything for his birthday last year. I said, “lets check the blog” and I made no mention of his birthday last year (or Preston’s this year!!-bad blog mom). OOPS! So this year we did go out, we had birthday pie and even if he did not get a car/truck yet, he had a good birthday.

Grant is my detail guy. He notices, remembers, analyzes and internalizes everything. He has a great memory. He has always known the batting order after one time and knows who is up next, if they are out of order etc. Very helpful when I was a baseball score keeper. Now he is all about sports stats of his HS team, fantasy football, Braves baseball and Auburn football. He is a great student! Great athlete (3 sports) and very responsible at home. He is usually the one who has the cleanest room and gets the stinky football laundry in the washer each night. He has a quick and sophisticated sense of humor. We are very proud of him and know he will make the most out of his life. Right now he would like to be a pro basketball player with a home in Hawaii OR a high school coach! Whatever he does, he will do it with great heart and integrity. Happy Birthday Grant! We Love You!!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Happy Birthday Ryan

We are now officially outnumbered by TEENAGERS! Ryan is finally 13! No more jokes from his brothers and their friends! His birthday was yesterday so he had Krispy Kreme Donuts for breakfast. He wore a hat because I drug him out of bed so I could sing to him before I left for work!

Wednesday night was a church night so we had his birthday dinner tonight. He wanted chicken and yellow rice with peas. We had thick, warm, gooey brownies with ice cream for dessert. In between he opened his 13 presents. I started this tradition with Preston and am kinda glad it is over…it is hard to come up with 13 presents!

Before………………………….&….After (minus the tennis racket and cross bow)

A PG 13 Movie (one of the boys jokes that he was not old enough to watch a PG 13 movie)

Faves like: bubble wrap that he is allowed to pop, hot sauce (of course), pickles, Reece's pieces etc.

A “Si tea cup” from Duck Dynasty

He wanted a tennis racket because he said it was one sports thing that we did not have…almost broke a window tonight already!!

His favorite surprise (I think)… a real Cross Bow! He said, “Is it REAL?” and Grant (who will be 16 in less than a month) said, “if he got a real cross bow I better get a vehicle!”

Hoodie he wanted from Gran and Grandaddy.

It was a nice night and he will get to celebrate again on Saturday. He planned an outside party but it looks like it might rain so we will see. First “boy/girl” party we have ever had (not counting neighbors and family). Should be ~~loud~~ fun!

So Happy Birthday my “young son”! You keep us very busy and learning new things (bees, band, acting, baby chicks—got them yesterday!). You make us laugh and drive us crazy! Your love of learning and experiencing life is contagious! I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the next 13 years! We love you very much!!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Football in the South

Check out this link to fully explain football in the south: http://www.joke-archives.com/outdoors/differenceinfootballbetweennorthandsouth.html

Fall Football has begun! We played a “pre season” game against two bigger and better schools and lost but held our own (and nobody got hurt). Pre season games worry me. We also lost our first regular season game in a squeaker 33-35! Grant punted several times and had a great one inside the 10 yd line. Preston had 6 tackles on defense and was in on THREE hook and ladder plays. One was a beautiful play for a 76 yd TD run. Preston scored the 2 pt conversion. Another one was for a 16 yard TD. The 2 pt conversion failed with 13 secs left and we lost by two!

From Pre season game: Preston was a captain

also from pre season game: Grant punting. got the ball in the 2nd picture! He also ran the ball once.

First regular season game at home vs Providence Christian. Seniors with linked arms behind cheerleaders

Ryan enjoys playing all the fun songs in the stands

with his HUGE Baritone sax on the field at halftime

Home game vs Calhoun: Preston is a captain

This one was over his head

two great catches by Preston..one for a TD! I can usually tell if it is going to him by his actions but then I am too excited to get a good shot! Also all the boys tend to play better when my camera is OFF~go figure! So if they are struggling, I will put it away on purpose!

Dennis is on the “chain gang” with buddy Steve

Ryan @halftime

After halftime…Preston as captain and then his usual 2nd half problem…leg cramps! He is starting a vitamin and mineral program today!

Grant and Preston on sidelines. Both had great games. Grant had a few tackles. Preston almost had an interception, caught several passes with one for a TOUCHDOWN! We won 60-20! Ryan got to play the fight song many many times! TDs by several different players and several seniors so that was really nice.

In between these games we had some friends and family over for the first Auburn game of the season. Preston went to the game with his girlfriend…by themselves. (I was glad to hear they made and even happier when they made it home!) They enjoyed the game and WIN! We did too. We had my parents, Dennis’s mom, Kenny, Nicki, Corbin, Lauren and Autumn (Caleb was at the Troy game), Grant, Ryan, Jordin and Clay (Reagan’s brother) here watching the game and eating football snacks! Great game! War Eagle!! We will have to watch todays game on the IPAD or phone because we will be at the Troy game. Our band will be playing on the field with the Troy University band and other area high school bands. Ryan was excited but had to get up early on a Saturday which is not his favorite thing. Preston and Grant also had to get up early to do yard work for a friend of Dennis’s. They have all been helping him this summer with his large yard. Since I had to take Ryan early, I headed to Walmart to beat the crowd and get Preston’s new vitamins and minerals! I hope they work and he can play a complete game this week.

I have had the house to myself much of the day. Listening to 70s music, blogging and doing laundry! Saving the school work for tomorrow. Might head to the pool if I have enough time before we have to leave for the game. Gotta love this time of year! Baseball AND football are on TV ALL the time. Go Braves! Go Gamecocks! War Eagle! and Go Trojans!

Great start to Fall…

…Even if it still feels like summer. Preston walked in the door, sweaty and smelly last week and said, “It was 100 degrees at practice today”. Then Grant walked in all sweaty and smelly and said, “It was at least 300 degrees at practice today!” It has been hot and mostly sunny. Just wish we could have had that weather in the summer! Oh well, this is my favorite time of year whether it is cool or hot. We are all finally in the swing of school schedules and back to “bedtimes” Smile .

We have had a nice start to Fall and FOOTBALL! Our town had a kick off celebration, Night of the Gamecocks a week or so ago where they introduced all the Fall sports athletes and coaches. The band played, cheerleaders cheered and they had food tables set up. Then the athletes stayed on the field to sign autographs. It was the 2nd year we have done this and it was much bigger this year. Hoping it starts a new tradition.